Phoenix
by Hermione Girl3
Summary: “The Phoenix rises from the ashes Hermione, I though you of all people would know that. It takes time, but eventually the fire burns again.”
1. Prologue

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, walked down the marble staircase into the entrance hall. He turned down a small hallway. Professor Firenze, who taught Divination, had sent an urgent note requesting Dumbledore's presence. He opened a door to his right and moved into a room that looked distinctly like a forest. "Professor Firenze?" he called.

The sounds of galloping hooves reached Dumbledore's ears, and before he knew it he was staring at the tall form of a centaur. "Ah, headmaster. I am please to know you are well, and have received my message."

"I was under the impression that it was urgent."

"The heavens have shifted, and I believe you have been waiting for this event. Though, I fear the change you seek will not come in the way you expect."

"I apologize my friend, I do not quite follow. Is this concerning Voldemort?"

The centaur nodded "And the new Head Boy and Head Girl. Please, have a seat, I will tell you what I can."

Later that night, Dumbledore entered his office and went straight to the Hogwarts Sorting Hat.

"Good evening Professor." The wrinkles in the old hat contorted to form a face.

"So sorry to bother you, I am sure you have a lot of song writing to do. However, there is an urgent matter concerning next term's Heads. Tell me, have you chosen them yet?"

"Hmm, I believe I settled on Miss Hermione Granger of Gryffindor, as our Head Girl."

"I couldn't have chosen better myself… And the Head Boy?" Dumbledore's voice was impatient.

"Yes, that was a difficult choice. An unlikely choice, I believe you will say. However, I really did not believe there was any other top student who could fulfill the job better than Mr. Draco Malfoy of Slytherin." The hat's pseudo-lips curled into a smirk.

Dumbledore moved to sit in the chair behind his desk. He held his head in his hands, deep in thought. Not a moment later, he swiveled his seat around and stared out at the Forbidden Forest, wondering if the other centaur's had noted the same as Firenze. He questioned himself, had he really been so wrong? He supposed he would have to do a bit more research on the things that would be needed to defeat Voldemort. Firenze seemed to believe that love was the key, which was what Dumbledore himself had been saying for years. However, he had never thought that more than one kind of love would be needed. ~

The next evening Professor Dumbledore came to a difficult conclusion. In order to defeat Voldemort they would need three key ingredients; friendship, family, and soul mates. This was going to be a difficult year.


	2. Ashes

**A/N: Just thought I'd let you all know that I hate long/pointless author's notes, so I'll only be writing one if it is absolutely necessary. Also, this story completely disregards HBP and DH.**

**Disclaimer: The Harry Potter series belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me. However, the chapters of this story are all mine, minus the characters, and some general themes. :D**

**July 30****th**

"_I guess this means I'm through_

_it also means I'm breaking_

_but Isabelle what can I do_

_if I'm caught in him, this man you love?_

_and Isabelle what can I do_

_if his strong hands make it hard to shove him away?" _Isabelle by Gregory and the Hawk

Hermione, Harry, Ginny and Ron sat on Ron's bed at the Burrow. In the center of their circle lay a half empty bottle of fire whiskey.

"Come on Harry, hurry up and ask something." Hermione complained.

"Seriously, it's been ages." Ginny seemed annoyed, yet she was mildly distracted by the circles Harry was drawing on her thigh.

"Okay, okay, I got one. And, if you don't do it you have to polish off the bottle. Agreed?" Everyone nodded. "I dare everyone to kiss the person directly to their right, on the lips for five seconds." Ginny easily slid herself up Harry's body and kissed him for a bit longer than the aforementioned time limit. Harry took that kiss quite willingly. "I apologize my dear." He told Ginny as he pressed his lips lightly to Hermione's. As soon as it was over Hermione looked at Ron, who looked sick. She couldn't understand, it wasn't like they had never kissed before. Of course, it was purely kissing between them, she wouldn't allow it to be anything else, not unless he made it official. But, he wasn't even looking at her anymore; his eyes were rested on Harry in a death-glare.

Hermione grabbed Ron's face and pulled him towards her. She felt him slip slightly in to the kiss, but she could tell he was worrying about something. "What's up Ron?" she said as soon as the five seconds were up.

"Ask him." Ron nodded towards Harry, and then looked at her as if to say 'Duh!', before nodding again, this time at Ginny, to his right.

At that moment Harry burst into laughter, and Hermione joined him. "Oh, no, Ron has to drink the rest, or kiss his sister."

"Well, considering I don't promote incest…" Ron picked the bottle of fire whiskey up and tipped it down his throat.

"Chug, chug, chug!" Harry chanted.

When Ron finished the bottle he tossed it lightly into the over-flowing bin next to his bed. He then grabbed Hermione by the shoulders and whispered into her ear "I've always preferred the left." Before catching her lips in a searing kiss. "Come on, let's go for a walk. There's something I have to ask you." His words slurred slightly as he spoke and stumbled to his feet, pulling Hermione off the bed with him.

"Thank God, I thought they'd never leave." Harry said suddenly, rolling Ginny over so he was above her as Ron shut the door behind him. Just as suddenly the door opened again and Ron charged the room and pulled Harry off of Ginny.

"Oh no you don't. That's my sister, and that's my bed." Ron pointed to each of them in turn.

"Honestly mate, I was only joking. We'll go into her room." Harry swept Ginny off the bed and carried her out the door and down the hall as Ron stood there dumbfounded. A second later, Hermione came back into the room, she stood in the door way looking at Ron.

"You wanted to talk." Hermione reminded him after a few seconds.

"Right let's go." He put his hand in hers and led her in tiptoed silence down the Burrow's long staircase and out the back door into the garden.

The summer night was cold and breezy, with a cloud covered moon. Hermione wrapped her arms around her thinly covered torso. Ron seemed to be on a mission to somewhere, so she let him lead the way. Her teeth chattered loudly and she silently wished Ron had more tact. He could offer her his hoody or even wrap his arm around her, but Hermione didn't like him for his gentlemanliness. She liked him for a million other reasons, none of which popped into her head at that particular moment. No, at that moment she was too busy trying to sort-out the butterflies in her stomach. Was she excited about what Ron had wanted to talk to her about? Or, was the alcohol just having that giddy effect on her? She couldn't tell.

The two approached an open meadow. Hermione recognized it as the Weasley's Quidditch practice pitch. Ron laid down on the grass and motioned for Hermione to lay next to him. She curled into his side and waited. He moved his head down and kissed her deeply. Hermione could tell that he was a bit too drunk, as his drunken state caused him to fall into an unfamiliar frenzy. He rolled her over so that she was on her back and pushed his knee between her legs. He held her hands above her head. For all his size, Ron wasn't very strong, and his body weight rested a little too much on her, but she did not try to protest.

After about five minutes of attempting to shift under Ron's uncomfortable weight so that she could breath, Hermione turned her head away from their kiss. "Wasn't there something you wanted to ask me?" She panted as she tried to catch her breath.

"Its better if you don't fight it." He tried to catch her lips in his again, but she evaded him.

"Fight what?" she asked.

"This." He pushed his nether region into her roughly, pelvic bone to pelvic bone. That was going to be a bruise in the morning.

"Ron, I thought we talked about this." She pushed him harder from her, finally succeeding in rolling him over so he was once again next to her. She sat up, pulling her top into a less twisted position. "I told you that I wanted to wait. I thought you understood that."

"Hermione, are you joking. We've been doing this horrible version of friends with benefits, or as I should say 'friend with very little benefits', for almost the whole summer. With all you're fire, I'd expect you to be less of a tease."

Hermione rose to her feet, "And be what Ronald!? I suppose I should just be willing to give myself to the first guy who tries?"

Ron stood as well and pulled her unwilling form into his arms. "That's not what I meant Hermione, I just want you." He pushed his hips into hers again. "Come on, just a blow job?" Hermione felt his hands drift between them as he pushed his hands beneath her top and under her bra. She stepped backward and slapped his hands away, he responded by stepping towards her again and grasping her by the waist with one hand. The fingers of his other hand crawled between them again and he unzipped his trousers. "Come on, Herms."

"Ron, stop it, and don't call me that. I don't want this."

"Oh yes you do. I know it, you've been practically begging me for this." He pushed her to her knees and she rolled backwards away from him.

Hermione could feel all the alcohol drain from her system and she became as level headed as ever. She stood up and whipped around. Her open palm made a satisfying sound as it collided with Ron's left cheek.

"Damn it, Hermione." His face contorted in pain "I had no idea you were so kinky." He smirked at her, in what was obviously meant to be an endearing sort-of way, Hermione just found it disgusting. He pulled his trousers and boxers down together, exposing himself to her horrified eyes. "That's right, stare baby, I know you want this sausage."

"Ugh, Ron! Put it away. You're drunk. And I'm done."

"I don't think so." Her eyes filled up with tears and she turned as far away from him as possible with his large hand still attempting to push her face into alignment with his. She used all her strength and dug her foot into Ron's instep at the same time as she rammed her fist into his gut, knocking him to the ground.

Draco Malfoy walked silently through the small wood, in which he had ended up in after a long row with his father. He had taken to Apparating to random places this summer. It was his best escape from his father, if he chose random places, Lucius couldn't follow. As the wood thinned slightly, the moss covered ground beneath his feet began to slope upward. He heard the unmistakable sound of a slap echo off the trees and stopped dead in his tracks. He wasn't really in the mood for company; he was stuck in a decision between his family, his security, and Voldemort against his own ego telling him that Draco Malfoy should answer to no master. This internal argument was not for outsiders. But, this was a Muggle wood, and he was mildly interested in seeing a muggle duel. It might, possibly, get his mind off of things.

With that thought propelling him, Draco sped up his pace as he climbed the small hill. As he approached the top, he once again heard an unmistakable sound, this time it was the angered voice of one Hermione Granger, the girl who had forever been the thorn in his side. His curiosity heightened, Draco reached the top in two extra long strides. He slowed his pace as he entered a small clearing.

"… You're drunk. And I'm done." Draco watched the mudblood Granger push herself away from her companion with, once again, unmistakable red hair.

"I don't think so." Draco noticed the state of the Weasel's trousers and gagged and looked away. He glanced up just in time to see Granger pull some stunning defensive moves on Weasley and push him to the ground. The ginger's member stood in what Draco could only explain as a pitiful excuse for an erect position.

"Ugh, Weasley. For the first and only time, I am going to ask you politely… please, put that away." Draco strolled lazily towards the two Gryffindors.

"What are you doing here, ferret?"

"I'm so glad that your insults have improved over the summer." Draco said sarcastically. He wondered why neither of them had pulled their wands as he pulled his from his coat pocket and twirled it lazily between his fingers. "Once again, put that thing away. You look like a teeny, tiny, disgusting mushroom." He continued. Ron pulled his jeans up in embarrassment.

"Get the hell out of here, Malfoy." Draco paid Weasley no attention. Instead he looked past him towards Granger. She clutched her arms around herself. Her posture was crouched in the closest position to fetal that she could muster whilst still standing up. He felt a small bit of pity for her. It was obvious that she had a thing for Weasley, for reasons he himself could not fathom. If he had not known Weasley for nearly 6 years he would have thought it incredible that a person could possibly be so tactless and immature towards one of his best friends. He quickly pushed the pity out of his system, and studied Granger's expression.

Hermione's face was stuck somewhere between confusion, fear, and exhaustion. Her eyes met Draco's and they both flinched away, afraid that this moment was a bit too personal for he, her worst enemy, to be intruding on. He had to find some way to get her goat and get out of this uncomfortable, awkward silence. "This is a whole new level of blood-traitor. Even for you Weasley, I'm shocked. You can't even get a mudblood to sleep with you." With that he turned on his heel and walked back down the hillside, sparing a single second to turn his head and wink at Granger suggestively, contenting himself with her appalled expression.

Hermione stared after Malfoy in confusion. What the bloody hell was that about? She heard Ron move to his feet, and turned her head to glare in his direction. Making up her mind, she all but marched in Malfoy's footsteps, hoping to catch up with him.

"Don't think I'm following you Hermione." Ron called after her. "Fucking hussy."

She ignored him and picked up her pace. She could see Malfoy ahead of her and she yelled his name to get his attention. "Malfoy! What the bloody hell was that about?"

"I'd be nice Granger, I believe I just saved your purity. You should have been carrying your wand, in times like these, and in the company you keep, you never know who you'll have to hex." He said as he turned around lazily as-if he had been expecting her to follow him.

"Sod off Malfoy. I had that situation under control. I didn't need your help or a wand. I'm not some helpless little girl. But, since you brought it up, why did you do that?"

"Well, as dirty as you are mudblood. I was pretty sure that you weren't interested in the fungus Weasley had to offer. So, if you could just thank me and get on with it." He held his head high, expectantly.

"Thanks, I guess." She turned again and walked back up the hill, hearing the loud CRACK as Malfoy Disapparated.

The walk back to the Burrow seemed longer than Hermione could ever remember it. She contemplated what she would do once she got back there. She had been sleeping in Ron's room since Harry and Ginny obviously wanted to be together. But that was definitely not an option anymore. The whole family was here for Harry's seventeenth birthday celebration tomorrow night, so it wasn't like there were any empty rooms. There was no way she was going to draw attention to this situation by Apparating home at two in the morning, and she was not about to head up to the attic to sleep with the ghoul. As she reached the Weasley's garden it seemed her only answer was the family's sofa.

Hermione opened the back door as silently as possible, slipping in before the hinges hit the spot where she knew they would creak. She pulled a blanket out of the center of a pile of freshly laundered clothes and carried on into the living room. Not bothering to take off her converse she curled up under the thin fabric, hooking it under her toes to keep her feet warm. Sleep found her quickly; the night's events added to the amount of fire whiskey she had consumed earlier had left her exhausted.

Draco made his was through Malfoy Manor's grounds. He had returned to his argument with himself as soon as he was out of Granger's presence. There was one more strike against becoming a Death Eater. The Dark Lord's army was filled with the worst possible scum on Earth, people who were not just murderers, but torturers, and rapists. After, seeing the look on Granger's face after Weasley had defiled her like that, Draco knew that there was no way he would ever be able to do that to a fellow human being. However, how was he supposed to survive? His father had assured him that there would be no trust fund for him if he did not join Death Earter ranks, and as childish as it sounds, he was quite used to his life style. Not to mention, with the power Draco had inherited from his Malfoy and Lestrange relatives, it was unlikely that Voldemort would allow him to get away with his life.

He approached the Manor and swept his hair away from his eyes in frustration. He longed for the days when his life had been perfect. When he was naïve enough to follow along with all of his father's plans and not even question them. At precisely ten feet away from the conservatory's double doors Draco moved his concentration onto the Malfoy family motto in order to continue through the security charms. _'Evinco quicumque'._ He entered the conservatory as quietly as he could and glanced at the wooden clock on the end table. 2:03, not bad, he'd been home later. His parents should consider themselves lucky that even came home at all.

He moved to the back staircase and climbed the carpet-covered wood at a brisk pace. It had been a long day and he needed sleep. He realized, with a murmured "Shit!" that he would have to rise early tomorrow and attend a boring meeting. His father insisted that he learn how to control the Malfoy's family affairs now that he was seventeen. Draco thought it useless; he doubted his father would ever die. It would be typical of Lucius to live forever just to piss him off.

When he reached the third floor of the Manor, and the hall that had been deemed _his_, he entered his bedroom through a large cherry-wood door at the end of the hall. He unzipped his coat and threw it onto the oversized chair in the corner of the room. He pulled his trousers and t-shirt off and threw them onto the floor for the house-elves. In his green silk boxers he pulled the blankets back from the left side of his bed and flopped down. Once again he ran his hand through his hair, this time in exhaustion. Closing his eyes he allowed his thoughts to drift towards the extra feeling of loathing he now felt for Ronald Weasley, before rolling onto his side and falling asleep.

The morning of Harry Potter's seventeenth birthday dawned to find Hermione Granger wide-awake. There was a letter in her hand and she was shaking a bag of owl treats out the Burrow's kitchen window in an attempt to lure Hedwig in from her hunt.

"Hermione, dear what are you doing up so early?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she entered the kitchen off of the staircase.

"Well, actually, I was sending a letter to my parents. I'm feeling slightly home sick and I figure that since it is my last free summer that I should spend at least some of it with them. I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley, thank you so much for inviting me to stay the summer."

"Of course, there's no reason to apologize. I only wish my children wanted to spend their summer's with us." Hermione laughed uncomfortably, as Mrs. Weasley began to prepare breakfast. "When were you planning on leaving? Not before Harry's party I hope."

"Oh no, I was thinking I'd just Apparate after the party."

"I'm sure Harry would appreciate that, and Ron as well." Mrs. Weasley smiled at her suggestively and Hermione felt even more uncomfortable.

"Um… is there anything I can help you with Mrs. Weasley?"

"I've got it covered, but thank you darling. Why don't you go and wake the others."

Hermione turned around hesitantly, deciding she would wake Ginny first and have her wake Ron she headed up the stairs. When she came to Ginny's door she knocked softly. She heard Ginny yell, "Come in!" and she opened the door a crack holding her hand over her eyes.

"You're sure you're both decent?"

"Harry's not even in here, get your mind out of the gutter." Ginny said, throwing a pair of boxer's at her.

"Gross."

"So, what's up?"

"Nothing, why do you ask?"

"Well, Ron came home at like 1:30 and wouldn't talk to either of us. I sent Harry in there like two hours ago to try to cheer him up. What happened between you two?"

"Nothing, we got in an argument and he left me at the Quidditch pitch."

"What did you two argue about? I mean, when he said he had something he wanted to ask you, I was sure my idiot brother had finally gotten some bollocks."

"Yeah, same." Hermione looked at her feet. "Anyways, breakfast is ready, will you get the boys?" She looked up, flipping the hair away from her face and trying to look less pitiful.

"Sure. You should get changed, you have mud all over you top." Ginny giggled slightly. Hermione looked down in embarrassment as Ginny left the room, to think Mrs. Weasley had seen her like this.

After a quick shower Hermione ran a brush through her thick hair. She picked out a pair of jeans and a baggy hoody, the clouds outside made no promise that she would be too hot. She put on her best smile and ran down the stairs screaming "HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!" as she reached the bottom.

Harry stood up from his seat at the breakfast table and gave her a big hug. "We need to talk." He whispered to her. She felt her face sink, what had Ron told him?

The rest of the morning passed easily for everyone in the Weasley house other than Hermione. Ron, Ginny and the twins had gone into town to pick up a few things for the party, Mrs. Weasley was busy cooking and cleaning, Mr. Weasley was off at the office (though he had promised to be home in time for the celebration), Dumbledore had shown up this morning and he and Harry were deep in discussion on the Burrow's front porch along with Bill and Charlie. Hermione could be found sitting at the kitchen table, a book in her hands, the headphones of the iPod her parents had gotten her for Christmas were plugged into her ears, and her expression was lost as she stared out the window at a sky that was sure to start dropping water any second.

"Hermione?" Harry came up behind her touching her shoulders and making her jump, nearly gnawing off her bottom lip, which she had been chewing on. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"What?" Hermione asked pulling the headphones out of her ears.

"What are you listening to?" He was obviously avoiding a real conversation, she was fine with that, as she didn't really want to talk about Ron.

"Gregory and the Hawk." She replied.

"Oh who's that by?"

"It's a band Harry."

"Oh, right, what song?

"Isabelle." There was an awkward silence after that, and Harry looked around the room as Hermione turned off her iPod.

"Um… Can we talk?" he asked uncomfortably, gesturing towards the living room sofa.

"Of course." Hermione could tell that this conversation was going to be awkward. They both sat down, facing each other; they both wrung their hands in their laps. "What is it Harry?" Hermione asked, not being able to stand the silence any longer.

"Well, it's Ron actually. He's really upset Hermione."

"Good." She said with zero empathy, she thought Harry was being a little too sympathetic for the both of them.

"That's a little harsh Hermione."

"I don't think so."

"You're the one who left with Malfoy." His scathing comment caught Hermione off guard.

"What!" She pulled further away from him, staring at his face trying to see if he was serious.

"Did you or did you not leave the Quidditch practice pitch with Malfoy?"

"Of course I didn't leave with him, listen to yourself Harry."

"Well, Ron said you did."

"It didn't happen like that at all, he's stretching the truth."

"Why on Earth would he lie about this?"

"I don't know Harry, why don't you ask him, since he's the one you're so keen on listening to."

"Just goes to show how much you care about your friends. Malfoy, honestly."

"You're not even asking for my side of the story."

"Fine, Hermione, what's your side?"

She hadn't anticipated that, she really didn't want to tell him.

"Hermione, dear, could you come help me with the muggle balloons?" Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen. Hermione got up, gave Harry one last questioning glance, and went to put all her hot air to good use.

Malfoy sat in the hot, stuffy conference room not listening to a word any of the businessmen in boring robes were saying. Actually, he was contemplating his last meeting with… a Slytherin 5th year whose name he couldn't remember. Pansy Parkinson had walked into the classroom half way through the festivities and had started whining and crying at him. He would have thanked her for the excuse not to continue as the girl had surpassed his idea of horrible sex, but it was Pansy, and she was the most annoying creature on the planet. Every time he saw her he cursed the gods for forcing her upon him, and he cursed himself for listening to his father in 4th year and asking her to the Yule Ball.

He was brought out of his reverie by his father's death grip on his shoulder. "Come, Draco." His father sounded scathing. Knowing better than to cross his father in a moment like this, he did as he was asked and they walked out of the office building and onto Diagon Alley where they Apparated back to the Manor. As soon as he landed, Draco felt himself being pushed to the ground by his father. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you? Staring off into space during a highly important meeting, as if you were some sort of idiot. Do you realize how that looks to the members of the company? You're such a pathetic excuse for an heir. To think I will have to leave all of this to you one day, and you don't even care, you don't even put forth an effort. I'm very disappointed in you Draco." His father kicked him and moved from the front garden into the house. Draco stood, dusted himself off and followed slowly.

The party that night passed easily and Hermione avoided Ron and Harry, choosing instead to sit next to Bill and Lupin. She listened idly to the chatter forcing herself to smile and be happy for Harry. Though, no one was truly happy for Harry, his seventeenth birthday meant that the magic his mother had used to protect him from You-Know-Who was no longer in place. Therefore, underneath the shallow excitement and pride, there was a whole other layer of fear etched into everyone's emotions. Hermione took comfort in knowing that Voldemort had never fully understood love, and so, it was unlikely that he would realize that he could now attack Harry with little problem.

As soon as the festivities were over and the rest of the partygoers were leaving, Hermione went upstairs to pack her bags. She was halfway done when Ginny walked in. "So, you're leaving then?"

"Yes, I miss my parents." Hermione said, not really trying to convince her that it was the truth.

"And how long has this thing with Malfoy been going on?"

"What do you mean Ginny?"

"I mean, have you been keeping it from us for long? Have you been lying to your friends, leading my brother on, for the whole summer, or just part of it?"

"Do you honestly not know me well enough to understand how much I loathe Malfoy?"

"Well, after what you did to Ron last night, I don't feel like I know you at all."

"That's how you feel?"

"I guess so."

"Right, then I guess I'll just see you at school." Hermione picked up her bags and proceeded out the back of the house where she noticed it was pouring down buckets of rain. In her fury she didn't mind much, she turned on her heel and Apparated into Skittles Alley. She was a few minutes walk away from her parent's house now and it was raining here as well.

By the time she reached the front wall of her garden, Hermione was soaked to the bone. She went into the garage to get out of her wet clothes so that she didn't track water onto the carpet. When she was finished she wrapped a beach towel around herself and went into the house.

"Hermione!" Her mother came running out of the sitting room to give her a giant hug. "Mitch, don't come in here, she's not decent."

"You guys really didn't have to wait up for me." Hermione said as they both climbed the stairs.

"Well, you could have been spitched, doing that whole Apparating thingy." Hermione didn't bother to correct her mother on her version of 'splinching'.

"Mum, there's really no reason to worry about it." She wished she hadn't ever explained Apparation to her parents. When they got to her bedroom, Mrs. Granger dawdled around straightening the pictures on Hermione's dresser. She feared her mother would never leave, so she fake yawned.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, dear. You must be extremely tired. I'll let you get some rest."

"Yeah, thanks mum."

"Good night dear, I love you."

"Love you too, send dad in, will you?" Hermione asked as she put her pajamas on.

"Of course, honey. MITCH, 'Mione wants to see you!" she called as she descended the stairs. 'I could have done that' Hermione thought.

Her father came in a few seconds later and pulled her blankets up over her, kissing her on the forehead. "Its good to see you, my little witch. Did you have a nice time with the Weasleys?"

She nodded "It was fine."

"Your mother and I are off to bed, I'll see you in the morning. Sweet dreams."

As he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, Hermione called "Love you." She then pulled the blanket over her head and closed her eyes.

"DRACO!" Lucius called from the end of the third floor hallway. Draco got to his feet, set his guitar aside, and walked lazily out of his music room.

"Yes, father." He said in mock obedience.

"Don't you take that tone with me, you cheeky bastard."

"You and mum had me out of wed-lock?" He was really in the mood to piss his father off.

"Draco! There is something very urgent that we must discuss." He was surprised his father was going to let him get away with that one, but he looked at him curiously. "The Dark Lord is planning a minor attack."

"What the bloody hell does that have to do with me?" 'Shit!' he thought, another chance to argue.

"Language, Draco. I believe your time to join has come."

"Unlikely." Draco turned around, but his father caught him by the wrist.

"You will do as I say. The Dark Lord is looking for an heir and I am his most favored servant. It is my job to provide."

"Have you ever realized, that you spend all of your time providing for a cruel, disgusting, man who can't even provide for himself? A half-blood at that." The sound that Draco's jaw made as his father's fist collided with it nearly made Draco loose his dinner.

"You will not desecrate the name of this family's leader in my house."

"I only speak the truth." His father threw him to the floor, and drew his wand. Draco was sure he was in for a bad one.

"_Crucio._" Whatever Draco had been expecting, it had not been this. His body burned, and he could not breathe, he could not think, there was nothing he knew, but the pain. He would not give his father the satisfaction of hearing him scream; instead he just glared and writhed. "I had to do it Draco, you must learn your place. I fear I did not punish you enough as a child. Perhaps, now you will listen to your father when he gives you direct orders. Two weeks from now you will come with me to a Muggle dwelling, there is a specific filth that must be taken care of."

Draco watched his father walk away, still curled into a ball on the floor. As the pain subsided, he wondered what Voldemort would want with a Muggle. What had this poor person done to cross him? Plagued with questions, Draco gingerly got to his feet and walked to his bathroom. He downed half a bottle of the Pain Potion that was sitting next to his sink. Not bothering to undress he opened his window and climbed into bed.

**Two Weeks Later**

"_But if you only have love for you own race_

_Then you only leave space to discriminate_

_And to discriminate only generates hate_

_And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah_

_Badness is what you demonstrate_

_And that's exactly how anger works and operates." _Where's the Love by The Black Eyed Peas

Hermione sat on her window seat listening to her iPod. She hadn't been able to get the song 'Where is the Love' by the Black Eyed Peas out of her head, so she was listening to it on repeat. She saw a speck in the sky and couldn't help but be excited, thinking that it must be her Hogwarts letter. She opened her window with haste and stood, practically jumping with nervous angst as her headphones fell out of her ears.

As soon as the owl reached her she tore off the letter and read it quickly. Slightly confused at first, she slowed down and re-read it. "YES!!!!!" She screamed. She dumped the envelope upside down and snatched the badge up, staring at it. The large HG that was etched into the silver medal made her feel amazing. "Yes, yes, yes!" She jumped up and down, hugging her accomplishment to her chest.

"What's all the ruckus in here?" Her parents came in with confused expressions.

"I – got Head – Girl." Her breath was coming in shallow gasps.

"Oh, I'm so proud Hermione." Her mother held her hand to her mouth and looked like she was about to cry. Her father looked shocked for a moment before…

"MY DAUGHTER IS THE HEAD OF HER YEAR!" He had walked to the window and proceeded to scream out it. He did a small little dance as he gave Hermione a hug, then continued to dance out of her room, stuck in a chorus of; "Who's Head Girl? That's right, MY DAUGHTER."

"I'm so excited, but there's so much I have to do. Oh my God, I have to get to Diagon Alley." She sniffed herself. "Oh, no I have to shower." She started pulling off her clothes before she even got to the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later Hermione was walking down Diagon Alley, the morning's excitement had entirely diminished. This was the first time she would be shopping for school supplies without Harry and Ron in six years. She went to Gringotts and exchanged her Muggle pounds.

As she was walking out of Madam Malkin's carrying a bag full of new school robes, Hermione stared at her feet. She bumped into someone and when she looked up to apologize she saw Draco Malfoy standing a mere five yards away. "Excuse me." Blaise Zabini didn't even look down at her, instead he continued on his path toward Malfoy. Hermione ducked into the nearest shop, and looked around her, of course this would be the shop she would enter.

Draco watched as Zabini bumped into a brown haired girl across the square from him. As the girl looked up, Draco was shocked to see the mudblood, and he smirked to himself as she sidestepped into the Quidditch Shop. "Mate, did you see Granger go into the Quidditch shop? What the fuck was she doing in there."

"No idea, she's probably avoiding me. I mean, I've only gotten hotter over the summer, a fact that she wouldn't be able to ignore."

"I'm sure, Draco." Blaise never took any of Draco's crap, one of the main reasons they were friends. "So, have you made any decisions about tonight then?"

"Congratulations, you just ruined the five-minutes it's been since I thought about it."

"Well, what are you planning on doing?"

After seeing Granger, Draco was having trouble removing the image of her on that hill, clutching her torso, her face contorted in emotional pain. He felt like retching. "I don't think I'll be going." He tried to say this as casually as possible.

"You ever notice how you take difficult decisions and pretend to be all nonchalant?"

"Sod off Zabini."

"This is serious Draco."

"No, really? Because I thought it was a joke."

"There you go again, sarcasm is not an outlet. Tut, tut." Draco hated to be patronized.

Hermione had laid all of her newly purchased items out on her bed and was checking them off her list. "Shoot." She had realized that she had forgotten to buy more Boomslang skin for her potions kit. Though, it probably wouldn't be needed for potions this year, she felt she should be prepared, just in case. "Mum, I forgot something in Diagon Alley, I'll be right back."

"Okay, honey, but hurry up, dinner will be ready soon."

Draco sat on his broom, not going anywhere in particular. He was simply hiding from his father. He felt ashamed that he had had to resort to this, but he was not ready to sell his soul to anything worse than the Devil. He worried about what his father would do when he returned. He stopped mid-thought, not wanting to think about the methods of torture he would be forced to endure when he went home that night.

Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, dropping the bag of Boomslang skin on the pavement. The Dark Mark was floating above her parent's house and her face was covered in fear. Coming to her senses she sprinted inside, rushing to the sitting room. She cringed away from the sight before her, closing her eyes, and gasping. Her father's desecrated body hung, pinned to the mantel, a large pile of ashes at his feet. She could just see a skull, covered in patches of long hair, beneath the ashes.

She was vaguely aware as the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes arrived and she didn't even notice when a member of the Auror office pulled her into a seat at the kitchen table and began questioning her.

She felt cold and numb. Her body wouldn't work, and her mind wouldn't make it. She felt like she was dead, knowing that it should have been her burned to ashes. Unfortunately, it felt like she was in her own personal hell, being burned, charred and unable to escape.

Draco twitched on the floor of Malfoy Manor's dungeon. His father had used a steady medium of whipping him with a long Dragon hide rope, and cursing him screaming "_Crucio_" over and over again. The muscles in his back rippled in a burning pain, blood pulsing out. The pain was horrific, his body was blistering, and he felt like he was in hell. There was no circumvention for this; he could only lie there, writhing in agony. He wished the fire in his muscles would subside, that he could allow himself to be ashes as Granger's parents were. His father had told him all about the evening's events during his beating, not sparing him any details. To think, he was supposed to have been there, hell she was supposed to have been there. He was supposed to have assisted in her murder. The next shudder he felt had nothing to do with pain, it was a shudder of disgust.

18


	3. Chapter 2

**August 24****th**

"_Take your aim like Artemis,_

_And kill another dove_

_But when your heart becomes a hunter_

_You may wound your chance to love" _Giving it up for You by Holly Brook

It had been over a week since her parent's death, and Hermione Granger had been constantly tormented by nightmares. This morning, she had woken up at around 3:30; the sounds of her screams could probably have been heard at the bottom of the road. She spent the entire morning numbly packing her school trunk. At around noon, after about an hour of considering all the ways to escape her frustration, she figured she should probably eat something.

On her way out of the room she caught a glance of her appearance in the full-length mirror of her door. She looked frail and haunted, which didn't even come close to describing how she felt. She continued down the stairs and stuck the last two pieces of bread in the toaster. She carefully averted her eyes away from the sitting room; instead she stared out into the back garden, not really seeing it. The sound of the toaster startled her and she drew her wand. Noticing that there was no disturbance, she shoved her wand back in her pocket and covered her toast with a generous helping of butter.

As she slowly ate her 'breakfast' she contemplated the last idea for escape she had had. She finished as quickly as she could and shoved the plate into the sink, not bothering to wash up. She caught the bus into London, and as her first act of rebellion she 'forgot' to pay.

The run-down parlor was playing a song by Holly Brook that Hermione didn't recognize as she sat in the chair waiting for the 'artist' to begin. "You ready?" He asked, holding the gun down to her skin. She flinched uncomfortably, worrying that the needle would dig into the bone of her shoulder.

"Yes," her voice sounded too weak "go ahead and start." Not a full improvement, but she thought she sounded a bit more confident. She was surprised at how little it hurt, until he started the shading. She flinched, and then apologized. This was exactly what she had been looking for. How ironic that pain subsided her pain?

"Now, you said you wanted some piercings as well. You must have a high pain threshold." She nodded and shrugged, but did not otherwise comment on his statement as he cleaned up the tattoo gear.

About an hour later, Hermione walked out of the parlor wishing there was more she could do. Her navel was pierced, along with her right cartilage and tragus, and an industrial in her left ear. She had bought all purple rings, except the industrial and tragus, which were both black. She felt slightly more confident now, and as she walked she held herself high, unzipping her hoody, and releasing her chest from the tight grasp of her arms that she had gotten used to over the past month.

**September 1****st**

Draco peered at himself in the foggy mirror after his morning shower. He had a single scar running from his left shoulder diagonally to his right hip. He turned so that his back faced the mirror and twisted his neck to inspect the healing of those scars. They were still slightly red. He brushed his fingertips along them gingerly and noticed that they barely stung. He wrapped a towel around his naked waist and walked into his bedroom, where he pulled out a black t-shirt, dark jeans, and a pair of socks, the only clothes left unpacked. After dressing he shoved his feet into his trainers, put the chain that held his Head Boy badge around his neck, and ruffled his hair with his hand.

He found his mother wandering in his hallway. "Mother?" he asked. Narcissa looked up at her son with a confused expression. She looked lost; Draco had seen her look this way many times in his childhood. Lucius had her so deep in his magical control, that she often forgot who she was, let alone that she had son. Her big eyes looked up at him in question. "I think you want to be this way." Draco led her, down one flight of stairs and into her library where he sat her down in her favorite armchair. She sighed, "Right, well… I'm going to school Mum. I'll see you at Christmas." Draco silently worried that he would not, in fact, be seeing her over the holidays. How would that affect her fragile mental state, he wondered.

As he came down the grand staircase into the entrance hall, he took note of his trunk. It sat beside the front door; he hoped that the house elves had not messed too much with his things. "I'm leaving!" He called, not at all expecting a response. His father hadn't spoken to him in two weeks, not since his "… complete, and utter disregard for the Dark Lord." Draco actually preferred it this way, though he did wonder what sort of punishment Lucius was planning. Deciding not to fret until the time came, he heaved his trunk into his arms and turned on his heel.

Draco arrived at Platform 9 and ¾ and immediately boarded the train. He had no patience to see anyone today, so instead he continued to the Heads compartment, thinking that at least he would only have to endure one other person's presence.

Hermione boarded the train and headed for the Heads compartment. There were very few people on the Platform as it was still quite early, she checked her watch, 10:15, 'Good' she thought. When she entered the compartment she sat down and pulled out her Advanced Ancient Runes text, the only book she had not managed to get through over the summer.

As she read she played absently with her cartilage piercing, eventually she pulled her legs up onto the seat and leaned back, attempting to get more comfortable. 'The lack of sleep must be getting to me.' She yawned. Her book fell onto her face and her breathing slowed.

Draco entered the Heads compartment to see a girl with quite a few piercings, asleep on the bench to his right with an Ancient Runes book lying on her face. "Um, excuse me…" she didn't wake. Draco kicked her leg softly. The girl jumped and the book slid to the ground with a soft 'Thud'.

"Get the hell out of here!" she screamed. Familiar brown eyes looked around wildly, before landing on Draco's form standing in the doorway.

"Granger?!" He was still drinking in her appearance. Her bushy hair was covered by a bright blue hoody that was half zipped, revealing the low cut white top she was wearing underneath. Her long legs were encased in a dark denim and her feet were clad in black strappy heels, red nail lacquer adorned her toes. The large silver Head Girl badge was pinned to her chest.

"Malfoy?!" She sounded as surprised as he felt. "I realize you don't have any friends to sit with, but I didn't know you can't read. The door clearly says 'Heads'." He pulled the chain out from under his t-shirt bearing his badge and smirking.

"Dumbledore must be off his bloody rocker, letting a mudblood be Head Girl."

"Ouch, Malfoy, that really hurts. Now if you'll excuse me, I was kind of busy."

"Looked to me like you were asleep." When did Granger get so biting? "So, how are things going with the… um… red haired mushroom?" He said, sitting down opposite her as she picked the book up off the floor. He silently cursed himself for nearly mentioning her parents.

Hermione frowned. "I really don't see how that's any of your business."

"Well as a witness to the event, I was simply curious as to whether things had rectified themselves. Did Weasley finally realize his same-sex tendencies?"

"Fuck off Malfoy." She flashed him a rude hand gesture and began flipping through the pages, trying to find her place.

"Tut, tut, I would think the Head Girl to be above such crassness. I might have to report you to McGonagall."

"Oh, please don't Malfoy, I don't know what I would do." She mocked a horrified face and then stuck her nose back in her book.

The rest of the morning's ride took place in an uncomfortable silence. About twenty minutes after the lunch trolley came by Professor McGonagall came striding into the compartment. "Professor, its so nice to see you again." Hermione stood up and held her hand out to the Professor.

"Hello Ms. Granger, I trust you are well." Hermione nodded pretending not to notice the skeptical look she was sent. "And you Mr. Malfoy?" Draco looked up from his D.A.D.A book and shrugged. The Professor motioned for Hermione to sit down in her former place. "I would like to congratulate you both on making the top of your class, I hope that you end the year with the same academic standing. Now, I have a list of the duties the two of you are to perform, together," the word was stressed "as well as the duties you are to divide for the prefects. As for after the welcome feast, when you are assured that both prefects from each house are attending to the first years, you are to continue, together," there was that word again "onto the eleventh floor. In the South corridor you will come across a portrait of Headmaster Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, the password is 'nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak'."

Malfoy sniggered under his breath, muttering something that sounded like a sarcastic "Most brilliant wizard of our time." Professor McGonagall and Hermione both shot him stern glares.

"I would also like to remind you that you have been placed as Heads, because the magic that the four Hogwarts founders set upon the school chose you. You both have shown the strength and integrity to be able to look out for those around you, particularly the younger ones." She gave Draco a meaningful look. "It has been many years since a Slytherin and a Gryffindor have been Heads together and as such I expect you both to be brilliant examples of unity in this time when it is so important. I realize that the task of caring for your fellow students, including each other, as well as keeping up with your NEWT work, might seem daunting at this moment, but you have proven your abilities. I expect nothing but the best from the two of you. Am I understood?" They both nodded. "Very well. I will see you in classes." She exited the compartment, her emerald robes swaying in her wake.

"Because we're definitely going to work peacefully together." He rolled his eyes and went back to his book.

Two hours of silence later Draco stood up and pulled his school robes from his trunk before walking out of the compartment without a word. Hermione got to her feet as well and began to undress. As she was standing there in only her undergarments the door slid open and a certain ginger, teenage boy backed in closing the door before turning around. "Oh, so sorry Herms."

"Get the hell out of here Ronald." She pulled her robes over her front in an attempt to cover herself.

"I just wanted to talk." He moved forward, unable to help himself from staring at the eye candy before him.

"I don't have anything to say to you, so I suggest you leave."

"I only wanted to apologize."

"Merlin, did you hear that? The scum of the universe wants to apologize, to me. I thank you for this fantastic turn in luck." She placed her hands together in front of her chest, miming prayer. "Well, let's hear it then."

"I'm sorry I lied to Harry and Ginny about you."

"Are you fucking joking me? That's what you're apologizing for? Never mind that you tried to rape me. Get the fuck out of here, I never want to see your ugly, freckly face again."

"Wow. You look sexy Herms. I like the navel piercing." Ron looked her up and down, in her frustration Hermione had managed to drop her robes onto the ground. Feeling disgusted at his stare and dropping all previous pretenses, Hermione launched herself at him. She kicked and punched every inch she could reach, kneeing him in the crotch repeatedly. "Ergh, get off me Herms." His voice was no deeper than a house-elf's squeak.

"Weasley, I suggest you leave." Malfoy was standing just outside the door, unable to fully enter due to the battle going on at his feet.

"This has nothing to do with you, Ferret."

"The hell it does, as Head Boy I am required to report all quarrels to the Deputy Headmistress, would you like me to do that in this case Fungus?" Ron pushed Hermione off of him and glared daggers at Malfoy.

"You're Head Boy?" He was looking at the newly pinned badge on Draco's chest.

"My, aren't you bright?" Ron looked at him, red in the face with fists balled at his sides. "You were leaving." Malfoy reminded him condescendingly.

"Thank you." Hermione said meekly, returning to her former posture of hugging herself. Draco knelt to the floor and handed her the robes.

"I'll just wait outside."

Five minutes later Hermione opened the door. "You can come in now." They both sat back down.

The rest of the train ride was even more uncomfortable than either one had thought possible. Hermione really wanted to ask him why he had helped her. It didn't irk her so much that he had told Ron to leave, but why had he been so nice? He had even picked up her robe for her. Draco was fuming, he should have slaughtered Weasley, that boy was everything he hated about Death Eaters rolled into a horrifyingly ugly, red headed package. And he wasn't even a Death Eater, after what he had seen the Weasel do to Granger this fact honestly surprised him.

When they reached Hogsmeade station Draco went off to find Blaise hoping that Pansy was not with him. Hermione went off to find a carriage alone; she stopped and helped a first year move through the crowd to get to Hagrid. She ended up sitting with three second year Ravenclaws who she did not know. She followed the hoards of students into the Great Hall and smiled up at the teachers, it was a little sad that these people were probably her only allies now.

The sorting ceremony passed slowly for Draco, it seemed there were way more first years than should have been allowed. He glanced over at Pansy who was batting her eyelashes at him and fought the urge to retch. After what seemed like hours the food appeared on the golden dishes and he dug in, he was starving.

Hermione sat at the edge of the long Gryffindor table and stared at the food on her plate. "Kewd you baf da bodadoes pease?" She heard Ron ask Harry and Ginny from the other side of the table, the three of them had been glowering at her the entire evening. She pushed her own potatoes around with her fork and rested her chin on her hand. On the other side of the hall she could see Malfoy in an obvious attempt to act dignified as he stuffed his face with gravy covered turkey. Hermione snorted to herself and took a bite of peas. As she continued to look at the Slytherin table her eyes fell on Crabbe and Goyle, she wondered for a moment why they weren't sitting with Malfoy, and then her eyes slid on to Theodore Nott. Bored with people watching, she went back to staring at her plate, attempting to translate 'Hogwarts: A History' into Ancient Runes in her head. She had taken to translating random things lately because it kept her mind off of everything that had happened that summer.

When pudding was over and the food had all disappeared back into the kitchens, Dumbledore stood with outstretched hands. "Before we retire to our dormitories, I would like to remind you all that unity is essential in these times of great fear, and in spirit of this unity may we all join together in the Hogwarts anthem…" The whole school joined together in a very disjointed chorus:

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald,_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling,_

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot."_

Five minutes later Draco walked out of the Great Hall and leaned on the wall next to the doors waiting for Granger. When she came out he said nothing and kicked himself off of the wall and began to ascend the staircase, Hermione close behind. They walked in silence until they reached the tenth floor. "Can I ask you something?" Hermione's voice was determined.

"Wake up Granger, you just did. However, I am glad to see you finally understand that you need my permission to speak."

"Cut the crap, I just wanted to know why you've been helping me with this whole Ron thing."

"I couldn't care less about your queries, especially those that concern Weasley."

"Then why did you bother?"

"Bother doing what?" His evasiveness was thoroughly annoying her.

"Ugh, never mind, I can see you're set on being an idiot this evening." Her patience was wearing thin and they had reached the portrait of Fawkes. "Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak." It swung forward to reveal a small common room. On the far wall there was a large fireplace, above it hung a painting of a snake and a lion. Facing the fireplace was a long, red sofa and two black armchairs on either side, an oak coffee table stood in the middle. The left wall had four paintings, two on either side of a staircase. Each painting was of one of the four Hogwarts founders respectively. The right wall was covered in ten bookshelves each overflowing with books and Hermione went right towards it.

Draco watched as Granger ran her fingers along the spines of every book on the wall and sniggered to himself. He moved to the staircase in search of the bedrooms. When he reached the second floor he came to a small landing with 3 open doors leading off of it. Seeing that the room on the left was decorated in all green and silver he proceeded in there. A queen sized four poster bed stood on the right wall, overlooking glass double doors, which Draco could see led to a balcony. An oak armoire was straight ahead of him as well as an oak writing desk, and his trunk was set at the foot of the bed. He yawned and stretched his arms above his head. Pulling off his robes and school uniform, he noticed that his guitar was on its stand on the opposite side of the four-poster. He sighed as he flopped backwards onto the bed; it had been a long day. He would have to figure out a way to stay out of the Granger's business, otherwise the year would get even more complicated than it already was. He shuddered to think what his father would do if he knew he had assisted a Mudblood.

**September 2****nd**

Draco was startled awake by the sound of screaming coming from Granger's room. He looked out the glass doors and saw that it was still dark. Glancing at the clock on his bedside table he noted that it was 2:36. He lay in bed and waited for it to stop, after five minutes he was thoroughly pissed off and he barged out of his room and into Hermione's. "What the bloody fuck is going on in here?!" He flipped on the lights.

Hermione was startled awake by Malfoy banging into her room. She was so surprised by her own screaming that she yanked her wand out from under her pillow.

"Was that you trying to sing Granger? In case you hadn't noticed the entire castle is usually asleep at two thirty in the bloody morning and likes it that way." Hermione had been dreaming about finding her parents in the sitting room, she pulled her knees up and hugged them to her chest.

"Go away Malfoy." She managed to get out, fighting back sobs as her body convulsed in fear.

"As long as you promise, no more singing. I think I have sustained permanent damage to my ear drum."

Hermione gave a motion that looked like a nod and hid her face between her knees. Draco turned to leave, but then cursing himself he turned back around and asked; "Granger, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, please just go Malfoy."

"No, I will not be lied to by a Mudblood. You are most definitely not fine, Granger."

"Yes actually you will. Why the hell do you care anyways?"

"Well, I kind of know what its like to not have parents around."

"I don't really see what that has to do with me." She hadn't realized he knew, maybe she just had simply misunderstood his comment.

"Come off it. I know exactly what happened to your parents. Do you honestly think that You-Know-Who does anything that the entirety of the Malfoy family is not aware of?" Hermione threw a pillow at him and he suppressed the idea of chuckling at her infantile behavior, because this was really not the time. They were stuck in an awkward sort of silence for a moment.

"You do understand that fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself, right?" She had been in desperate need for a change of subject and that was all she could come up with. Draco couldn't help but laugh at that, this ridiculous girl who had been through hell and back in the last month wanted to discuss a name, of all things. Hermione looked at him incredulously, was Malfoy actually laughing? "Are you laughing at me?"

"No, I wasn't. I just… Don't you realize how utterly hilarious this moment is? Me, a Slytherin, having a pillow thrown at me by you, a Gryffindor, a pillow for Merlin's sake." Hermione looked at him curiously, thinking over the moment, and couldn't help but join in his laughter.

When their laughter had subsided they were once again stuck in uncomfortable silence, she couldn't understand why he hadn't left yet. "Did you… erm… want to come in?" He looked around and wildly shook his head, before turning around and closing the door behind him. Hermione sat dumbfounded for a moment, before she flopped backwards onto her pillows. "What the hell just happened?" she asked the empty room.


End file.
